The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 175: [Research] Start: Atomic Bomb Development (4)

Chapter 175: [Research] Start: Atomic Bomb Development (4)

He wanted her.

It didn’t matter if it was as a disciple, family member, or something else; he wanted to bring her into the house. It was how Renawill felt after meeting and talking with Aether.

“What is stopping you?”

“This isn’t like you, My Lord. Simply pay her and bring her here.”

The butlers serving Renawill said altogether.

But Renawill shook his head.

“It isn’t that easy; my daughter made a mess of things.”

From what Renawill learned, his daughter, Klais, had purchased Aether from the slave market and used her extensively.

It wasn’t wrong to use a slave. At least, it was something legal here in the Empire.

As a traditional noble, Renawill viewed slavery as reasonable. Although it may be a mindset that the people of elf country would be appalled by, there were people like Renawill everywhere in the Empire.

However.

His daughter had crossed the line.

No matter how much you needed money.... How could you have thought to sell her to the Second Prince, Klais....

Through the swordplay, Renawill had realized that Aether had the ability to create Flare from the start.

As his daughter had seen her like that for three years, she would’ve already known the extent of Aether’s abilities.

Even if one was a slave, there was no reason not to treat them well if they were good. In fact, that was why the Empire had established the educational institute of Tilette Academy. Tilette was a social ladder.

Renawill was someone practical. If he had taken Aether in, he would have enrolled her into Tilette and then persuaded her to become his foster daughter.

“Klais responded poorly.”

Renawill muttered as he got up. He was currently taking a walk around the palace gardens.

The noble assembly had finished, but there was still some time until he had to head back to the estate. In the meantime, he’d been keeping a close eye on Aether and thinking about how to earn her favor.

As a Duke, he had decades of experience with politics. It was already ingrained in him what to do with someone he wanted to win over.

Yes, in this case.......

Identify the other person’s needs.

The most simple yet clear strategy.

After that, Renawill had a servant monitor Aether. He didn’t go into the dorms out of courtesy, but continuously picked up the conversations she had with others and received reports regarding what she wanted while she studied at school.

“They say she needs mana water, My Lord.”

“Acquire it. Immediately.”

“But we’ll be on a tight schedule.......”

“Jake.”

With a low voice, Renawill called the name of his butler assisting him.

“I am the Duke of Hasfeldt.”

So what if mana water was a rare item that was expensive and could only be purchased by those with public credibility?

Renawill was the head of the Hasfeldt family.

His family had served as the Empire’s shield on the northern front. They had slaughtered countless Beasts and sustained a considerable portion of the Empire’s economy with the mana stones obtained from that.

Funds, reputation, trust of the Elementals.

He had enough of everything.

“Call Ignes through the hotline and ask her to send about a hundred bottles upfront using the warp circle.”

“Yes, sir.”

A hundred bottles of mana water was more than enough to buy a small estate, and even this was a price reduced by the Elementals being generous.

But Hasfeldt had the money to pay that amount, thanks to Flare being developed.

After Flare was developed, the Hasfeldt territory had grown abundant. Calamities died by the dozen, and the morale of the troops had gone up to the point that they easily breached the first line of defense. In the process, they had collected massive amounts of loot.

In a way, it was Aether who had made the land rich. They could thank her over a hundred times and it still wouldn’t be enough.

Therefore.

If they were to become even more abundant in the future.......

I must bring her in no matter what.

This had been the process leading up to Renawill gifting Aether the mana water. It was the same for immediately delivering the iron and polystyrene afterwards.

He intentionally didn’t boast about it.

Only waited until the other party took the bait.

And so it was on the third day.

“Master, the Golden-Eyed girl in question requested to meet with you.”

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

Jake appeared and said with a swollen face.

**The location of the meeting was the simple cafeteria in the Academy.

The reason I purposely didn’t choose the palace or somewhere else was simple: because by talking in a place where there were a bunch of elf exchange students, Rosemary couldn’t turn on Scope.

Since it was the school cafeteria, there were also a lot of elves from Iliad. There was no risk of being eavesdropped on by Rosemary.

Good, we could talk without worrying.

“These are good tea leaves.”

The blond-haired, red-eyed man in front of me was Renawill Hasfedlt, the father of Klais Hasfeldt who had once been my former master.

This was the second time meeting. There was still a weird tension running between me and Duke Hasfeldt.

Tap.

He put down the teacup and asked.

“Let me ask this first: why did you strike my servants with the staff?”

“I thrashed them.”

Renawill let out a groan.

“May I ask why?”

“I was upset about their eavesdropping on my personal life.”

It was a rather bold remark, but Renawill would know as well that you could get fined for eavesdropping on someone as you wanted.

“I heard that you engaged in combat with the elves who came as exchange students on the first day.......”

Renawill trailed off, and I shrugged instead of replying.

“Why did you do that?”

“I failed to control my strength.”

“Do you do daily push-ups?”

“No.”

Renawill and I had casual conversation for a bit. It was ‘stalling’, a technique that those of high status used frequently.

I would experience this occasionally when dining together with dignitaries in government ministries. It was all for the sake of building relationships.

It would be the same for this person.

“It’s time that I get to the point.”

Here we go.

“Miss, do you have any interest in doing research at our place?”

“None, sir.”

“A different question, then. Can you tell me what research you’re working on with your friends?”

It suddenly felt like I was a newbie being interviewed.

I gave an evasive answer for now.

“It’s nothing more than a personal study.”

You couldn’t lose control of the conversation even when talking with a higher-up. You had to maximize their sense of urgency in order to understand their intentions and make dealing with them easier.

“I heard that it was something like a bomb....”

“It’s only a model.”

“A model?”

“Yes, a model to be entered for the art festival.”

Renawill let out a muffled hum through his nose.

Just what in the world is this bastard?

–was what he was probably thinking.

[Exactly! Who in the world is crazy enough to display an atomic bomb at an art festival? Geez, unbelievable!]

The hardcover criticized with a grumble but I ignored it easily.

It was then.

Tap.

The food came out.

It was the most expensive course meal on the menu. It wasn’t a simple cafeteria now that I thought about it. It was an eatery frequented by children of rich families.

The Duke was paying for the entire cost of this course. Indeed. Seeing as he wasn’t showing off, I guess it meant that this much was nothing to him.

It was a shocking contrast to Klais; he knew how to handle people.

Man, how did a daughter like that come from a father like this?

“Do you mind if I ask something?”

I asked as I picked up the fork. Renawill nodded wordlessly.

“Just why did you give us a hundred bottles of that precious mana water? It must’ve been expensive.”

No matter how you looked at it, it could only be for the sake of earning favor. I knew this, and so did Renawill.

The question was how he was going to explain himself.

“It means that’s how much support I can provide you with if you research under me.”

Oho, he was taking the direct approach.

Yeah, it was better to be honest. He must have already finished figuring out what type of person I was.

Anyway, support, eh. Then we couldn’t forget about money.

“I’ll give you hourly wage if you become a member of our household.

“Hourly wage?”

The Duke opened his hand and grinned.

“Fifty gold pieces per hour.”

Uhh, I’ve seen this somewhere before.

Right, back when Klais and Klion had been bitching as a pair, they’d tried to auction me. I guess it was like father like daughter after all.

Not a one-time payment but an hourly wage.

Even just working ten hours a day would get me five hundred gold. I’d be making as much as a popular soccer player or actor.

Did he have that much money lying around?

Anyway, it wasn’t a small amount at all.

“I never do anything like exploit you. I swear on the name of the Goddess L’Quinneth.”

He was serious if he was swearing on the Goddess’ name.

Anyway, asking me into the Hasfeldt house? He was talking like he wanted me to become part of the family.......

“Are you saying that I should treat you like a father?”

“If that’s possible, I’ll double your wage.”

“You mean to have me adopted.”

I tapped on my salad with the fork.

A hundred gold an hour. Then I would have no reason to sit around at the Demon Castle.

There was a ‘plan’ I had set up a little while ago. I’d have to go to the Demon Castle in order to achieve that plan, but...

This was making me waver a bit.

“Does that mean I can go after graduating?”

“The doors will always be open.”

“Then may I add one condition?”

Perhaps thinking that I had actually agreed, Duke Hasfeldt nodded quickly with a bright smile.

I spoke.

“I’d like you to be a guarantor for me.”